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Havas Health & You Names Ad Industry Veteran John Hackney CEO of European Union

by | Sep 13, 2018

Havas Health & You (HH&Y), the health and wellness marketing network focused on promoting healthy living decisions across the entire health spectrum, announced that John Hackney has been appointed its CEO of EU. He will oversee Havas Health & You’s vast agencies across the European Union.

With over 30 years of experience in advertising and health marketing communications, Hackney has run both regional and multi-national accounts and operated companies at some of the world’s largest and most successful communications groups, including global agency networks like McCann Health and Young & Rubicam.

“We couldn’t ask for a more dynamic person to oversee our agencies in the EU,” said Donna Murphy, Global CEO of Havas Health & You. “John has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world—Coca-Cola, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Diageo, Bacardi and Pfizer—and has exceled at developing integrated teams, which will add to our culture of #together. We can’t wait to see how he will put this body of experience to work for us and our clients in Europe.”

Hackney will be based in London and will report into Murphy.

“I honestly thought my next career move would signal the beginning of my global pop career,” said Hackney, who has played guitar in several touring rock groups over the years. “But my teenage daughters weren’t so convinced, so the next best thing is certainly stepping up as the European CEO for Havas Health & You. Since Havas Health rebranded as Havas Health & You last year, combining its health and wellness offerings and agencies around the world, my unique experiences will continue to unite health and wellness. I may also bring my guitar into the office from time to time.”

Hackney built up significant health and wellness experience in the public/consumer world, working with Durex on AIDS prevention, with Johnson & Johnson on oral care and wound care, with Unilever on skin care and functional foods, and with other brands within cough and cold and babycare.

In 2013, he sold Refreshed Wellbeing, the digitally based healthcare agency he co-founded, which had become one of the fastest-growing and most acclaimed independent digital healthcare/pharma-focused agencies in Europe. Under his leadership since 2014, McCann Health London was creatively recognized with Cannes Lions and Clio Awards and was the fastest-growing network health agency in the U.K.

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